Safety bottle closure

ABSTRACT

A closure cap generally of the screw-on type having exterior knurls at the periphery thereof, in combination with a safety overcap having complementary interior knurls and including yieldable, resilient interior filaments or pins maintaining the overcap rotarily unengaged with respect to said closure cap, but said knurls engaging upon the application of downward pressure on the safety overcap relative to the closure cap.

United States Patent inventor Elno J. Maki Upper Saddle River, NJ. App].No. 865,033 Filed Oct. 9, 1969 Patented Nov. 23, 197 l Assignee SterlingDrug Inc.

New York, N.Y.

SAFETY BOTTLE CLOSURE 6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 215/9, 215/43 A Int. Cl A61] 1/09, 825d 55/02 Field of Search 2 l5/9, 43 A 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,964,207 12/1960Towns 2 l 5/9 3,374,912 3/1968 Velt 215/9 Primary Examiner-George T.Hall Attorney-Charles R. Fay

ABSTRACT: A closure cap generally of the screw-on type having exteriorknurls at the periphery thereof, in combination with a safety overcaphaving complementary interior knurls and including yieldable, resilientinterior filaments or pins maintaining the overcap rotarily unengagedwith respect to said closure cap, but said knurls engaging upon theapplication of downward pressure on the safety overcap relative to theclosure cap.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It has been a longstanding problem toprovide against accidental or unauthorized opening of containers fore.g., pharmaceuticals, etc., especially by children. .Many suggestionshave been made but in most cases the constructions involved are tooexpensive or too complicated for average or everyday use. The presentinvention provides an inexpensive but efficient construction normallypreventing the unauthorized opening of containers particularly thosehaving a more or less standard bottle cap of the screw-on or bayonetslot type and having a knurled or toothed periphery.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention in this case contemplates ingeneral the use of a more or less conventional bottle closure cap whichis usually made of metal or of any other suitable material, which isadapted to screw onto the mouth of the container or to be securedthereto by similar rotarily actuated means as for instance cams, bayonetslots, all as is well known in the art.

In the present case this closure cap is provided with a knurledperipheral edge adjacent the top portion thereof, said knurled edgepresenting a continuous series of teeth to provide a better grip foropening and closing the container by turning the closure cap. Suchclosure caps or equivalents are well known.

There is applied to the bottle closure cap a separate safety overcapwhich can be conveniently and inexpensively made, e.g., of suitableplastic or metal. This safety overcap comprises a base more or lessconforming to the base of the closure cap and it has a peripheral skirtending in an inturned lip which is snapped over the open usuallycrimped, edge of the skirt of the closure cap holding the two capstogether as a unit.

The peripheral skirt of the overcap has a width (height) greater thanthe width (height) of the corresponding skirt of the closure cap. Theskirt of the overcap has interior knurls complementary to those at theexterior of the closure cap, but those on the overcap are locatedadjacent the base thereof an the skirt in the area of its inturned lipis free of such knurls. At the interior of the base of the overcap, itis provided with a series of free-ended flexible resilient filaments orpins arranged normal to the base. These filaments or pins are inposition to maintain the inturned lip on the skirt of the overcapadjacent the crimped edge of the skirt of the closure cap, and the baseof the safety overcap in spaced relation with respect to the base of theclosure cap, so that the respective knurls are out of engagement witheach other.

In this situation, the safety overcap may be rotated freely with respectto the container and its closure cap and thus can not turn the latter ineither direction; but when downward palm pressure is applied to thesafety overcap, it moves downwardly in relation to the closure cap andthe aforesaid filaments or pins yield to allow engagement of the knurlson the two caps thereby forming a positive interconnection between theovercap and the closure cap whereby the latter is turned as the overcapis turned in either direction, both to open the container and to closeit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a view in elevation withparts broken away and in section illustrating the present invention withthe safety overcap unengaged with respect to the container closure cap;

FIG. 2 is a similar view but showing the safety overcap engaged withrespect to the closure cap in position for turning the same in eitherdirection;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the interior of the overcap, part beingbroken away and in section and illustrating the freeended filaments orpins; and

FIG. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION The reference character 10indicates a container which may be any kind of bottle or jar. Such acontainer may be provided with a neck 12 and as shown it has ascrewdhreaded indented construction as indicated at 14 for the receptionof a closure cap generally indicated at 16, the latter having a skirtwith an indented thread 18 for the purpose of securing the closure capto the container as is old and well known in the art. Ordinarily suchcaps are provided with a crimped outwardly extending lip 20 at the openend thereof and they also have a closed portion or base which isindicated at 22 in FIG. 1. Any other similar connecting structure may beused to carry out the purposes of this invention, wherein the cap 16 isrotated relative to the mouth of the bottle or container 10 to open orclose the same. Such caps are often knurled or toothed at theirperipheries as at 24 for better grasp thereof.

The safety overcap 26 may be made of plastic or any other useful orconvenient material, but in any event preferably it is molded in onepiece. It has a closed portion or base 28 conforming in general to thebase 22 of the bottle cap 16, and at the periphery of the base there isa depending skirt or flange 30 which extends continuously about the edgethereof. The skirt 30 terminates in an inturned lip 32. The skirt 30 hasa width (height) greater than the width (height) of the correspondingskirt portion of the closure cap. The lip 32 underlies the edge at 20 ofthe closure cap 16 and permanently connects the two caps together. Skirt30 has interior knurls, teeth, etc., 34, at its periphery complementaryto those at 24 but located adjacent the base 28, the interior of theskirt below the knurls being plain.

Arranged interiorly of the safety overcap 26 a series of preferablymolded-in, free-ended filaments or pins 36 which extend generally at aright angle with respect to the plane of the base of the overcap 26.These filaments or pins may be arranged as convenient, e.g., in acircle, cross, e.g., as clearly shown in FIG. 3 and they have a lengthwhich is substantially equivalent or less to the excess of the width ofthe skirt 30 of overcap 26 with regard to the corresponding skirt of theclosure cap 16.

The filaments or pins 36 are deformable and resilient and normally theymaintain the relative position of the overcap with respect to theclosure cap in the position shown in FIG. I, where there is no positiveengagement between the two caps and wherein rotation of the safety cap26 does not result in any corresponding rotation of the closure cap 16.

It is only when the palm is pressed downwardly for instance in thedirection of the arrow in FIG. 2 that the filaments or pins 36are'deformed, see FIG. 2, and allow the knurled or toothed portion 24 atthe periphery of the closure cap to engage and clutch to the likeconformation at 34 of the safety cap. In other words, when pressure isapplied in a downward direction to the overcap as explained above, andthe knurls or teeth form a mechanical interconnection between theovercap and the closure cap by which means the closure ca is then easilyturned in either direction to open and close the container 10, byrotating the safety overcap.

I claim:

1. The combination with a rotarily actuated closure cap for a container,and means for connecting the closure cap with respect to the containerwhen the cap is turned in one direction, said cap being released fromthe container when the cap is turned in the opposite direction of asafety overcap, an inturned flange on the overcap connecting the twocaps with respect to each other with the flange under the periphery ofthe closure cap and the safety overcap in superimposed relation to theclosure cap, said caps being capable of a relative motion in an axialdirection,

a plurality of resilient, yieldable, self-sustaining free-ended axiallyarranged pinlike elements located between the two caps tending tomaintain the same in spaced relation but yielding under pressure toallow the safety overcap to more closely approach the closure cap,

and selectively operated interengaging means between the two caps forturning one by the other, said interengaging means being constructed andarranged to be operative when pressure is applied to the safety overcapto cause it to approach more closely to the closure cap and inoperativewhen said pressure is released and said free-ended pinlike elements oncemore space the two caps.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said overcap includes a base andsaid pinlike elements extend from said base, being generally normal withrelation thereto.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein the free-ended pinlike elementsare plastic filaments.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said free-ended pinlike elementsare plastic filaments.

5. The combination with a rotarily actuated closure cap for a container,said cap being characterized by having a periphery by which it may begrasped to be turned, and means for connecting the closure cap withrespect to the container when the closure cap is turned in onedirection, said cap being released from the container when turned in theopposite direction,

of a safety overcap, complementary, peripherally disposed,

axially engageable knurls adjacent the bases of the closure cap and thesafety overcap, said knurls connecting the caps when the safety overcapis in close association with respect to the closure cap, said caps beingdisconnected when the safety overcap is removed a predetermined degreefrom the container closure cap, and freeended elastrometric pin meansnormally maintaining the caps in generally spaced relation but yieldingunder pressures to allow the safety overcap to approach the containerclosure cap for causing said complementary knurls to connect the caps,

said elastrometric pin means causing said safety overcap to return to adisengaged condition with relation to the container closure cap whenreleased, and the safety overcap being then freely rotatable on thecontainer closure cap,

the caps both including bases and the pin means normally maintaining thetwo caps in spaced relation being selfsustaining yielding resilient andfree-ended and being on one cap extending normally at right angles withrelation to the base of the other cap. 6. The combination with arotarily actuated closure cap for a container, said cap including a baseand a depending skirt, and means on the skirt for connecting the closurecap with respect to the container when the closure cap is turned in onedirection, said cap being released from the container when turned in theopposite direction,

of a safety overcap, said overcap including a base and a depending skirtdisposed about the skirt of the closure cap, interengaging means betweenthe skirts of the safety overcap and the container closure capselectively connecting or disconnecting the caps for unitary rotarymotion, and comprising complementary, peripherally disposed, axiallyengageable knurls adjacent the bases of the closure cap and the safetyovercap, said last-named means connecting the caps when the safetyovercap base is in close association with respect to the base of theclosure cap, said caps being disconnected when the bases of the caps areseparated to a predetermined degree, and free-ended elastrometric pinmeans located on the interior surface of the safety overcap andextending axially toward the base of the closure cap, said elastrometricpin means normally maintaining the caps in generally spaced relation butyielding under pressure to allow the safety overcap to appreach thecontainer closure cap for causing said interengaging means to connectthe caps, said elastrometric pin means causing said safety overcap toreturn to a disengaged condition with relation to the container closurecap when released, and the safety overcap being then freely rotatable onthe container closure cap, the pin means normally maintaining the twocaps in spaced relation comprising self-sustaining resilient plasticelements.

s n: x

1. The combination with a rotarily actuated closure cap for a container,and means for connecting the closure caP with respect to the containerwhen the cap is turned in one direction, said cap being released fromthe container when the cap is turned in the opposite direction of asafety overcap, an inturned flange on the overcap connecting the twocaps with respect to each other with the flange under the periphery ofthe closure cap and the safety overcap in superimposed relation to theclosure cap, said caps being capable of a relative motion in an axialdirection, a plurality of resilient, yieldable, self-sustainingfree-ended axially arranged pinlike elements located between the twocaps tending to maintain the same in spaced relation but yielding underpressure to allow the safety overcap to more closely approach theclosure cap, and selectively operated interengaging means between thetwo caps for turning one by the other, said interengaging means beingconstructed and arranged to be operative when pressure is applied to thesafety overcap to cause it to approach more closely to the closure capand inoperative when said pressure is released and said free-endedpinlike elements once more space the two caps.
 2. The combination ofclaim 1 wherein said overcap includes a base and said pinlike elementsextend from said base, being generally normal with relation thereto. 3.The combination of claim 2 wherein the free-ended pinlike elements areplastic filaments.
 4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said free-endedpinlike elements are plastic filaments.
 5. The combination with arotarily actuated closure cap for a container, said cap beingcharacterized by having a periphery by which it may be grasped to beturned, and means for connecting the closure cap with respect to thecontainer when the closure cap is turned in one direction, said capbeing released from the container when turned in the opposite direction,of a safety overcap, complementary, peripherally disposed, axiallyengageable knurls adjacent the bases of the closure cap and the safetyovercap, said knurls connecting the caps when the safety overcap is inclose association with respect to the closure cap, said caps beingdisconnected when the safety overcap is removed a predetermined degreefrom the container closure cap, and free-ended elastrometric pin meansnormally maintaining the caps in generally spaced relation but yieldingunder pressures to allow the safety overcap to approach the containerclosure cap for causing said complementary knurls to connect the caps,said elastrometric pin means causing said safety overcap to return to adisengaged condition with relation to the container closure cap whenreleased, and the safety overcap being then freely rotatable on thecontainer closure cap, the caps both including bases and the pin meansnormally maintaining the two caps in spaced relation beingself-sustaining yielding resilient and free-ended and being on one capextending normally at right angles with relation to the base of theother cap.
 6. The combination with a rotarily actuated closure cap for acontainer, said cap including a base and a depending skirt, and means onthe skirt for connecting the closure cap with respect to the containerwhen the closure cap is turned in one direction, said cap being releasedfrom the container when turned in the opposite direction, of a safetyovercap, said overcap including a base and a depending skirt disposedabout the skirt of the closure cap, interengaging means between theskirts of the safety overcap and the container closure cap selectivelyconnecting or disconnecting the caps for unitary rotary motion, andcomprising complementary, peripherally disposed, axially engageableknurls adjacent the bases of the closure cap and the safety overcap,said last-named means connecting the caps when the safety overcap baseis in close association with respect to the base of the closure cap,said caps being disconnected when the bases of the caps are separated toa predetermined degree, and free-ended elastrometric pin means locatedon thE interior surface of the safety overcap and extending axiallytoward the base of the closure cap, said elastrometric pin meansnormally maintaining the caps in generally spaced relation but yieldingunder pressure to allow the safety overcap to approach the containerclosure cap for causing said interengaging means to connect the caps,said elastrometric pin means causing said safety overcap to return to adisengaged condition with relation to the container closure cap whenreleased, and the safety overcap being then freely rotatable on thecontainer closure cap, the pin means normally maintaining the two capsin spaced relation comprising self-sustaining resilient plasticelements.